1. Brief description of aims and content
The project is a learning experience that enables students to do independent research and perhaps bring together many of the concepts they have been learning over the last few years. Students will conduct their project through careful planning, research and execution of the tasks by developing critical judgment and geological and/or mining competence. The work from this project will provide students with the opportunity to produce information or results, which can be of value, both academic and practical (having an immediate practical industrial application and perhaps worthy of publication).
2. Learning Outcomes
A. Knowledge and Understanding
On completion of this module, students should be able to demonstrate following skills:
A.1. An ability to carry out creative design individually, and show competence in the detailed design work
A.2. A systematic understanding of knowledge, and a critical awareness of current problems and/or new insights, much of which is at, or informed by, the forefront of this area of professional practice
A.3. Originality in the application of knowledge;
A.4. An ability to deal with complex issues both systematically and creatively, make sound judgements in the absence of complete data, and communicate their conclusions clearly to specialist and non-specialist audiences;
A.5. Self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems, and ability to act autonomously in planning and implementing tasks at a professional or equivalent level
A.6. An ability to continue to advance their knowledge and understanding, and to develop new skills to a high level
B. Cognitive/Intellectual skills/Application of Knowledge
On successful completion of the Module students should be able to:
B.1. Identify and develop the research required for your project
B.2. Critically analyze data
B.3. Interpret findings from research or other kinds of analysis
B.4. Apply findings to solve research questions
B.5. Defend your findings through a oral presentation with examiners
C. Key Transferable Skills
On completion of the module, students will be able to:
C.1. Demonstrate practical skills relevant to the area of the project selected
C.2. Apply research skills
C.3. Take decisions.
C.4. Cultivate the habit of independent learning
C.5. Handle Information.
C.6. Communicate both orally and written.
C.7. Solve problems.
C.8. Manage projects.
3. Indicative Content
The project will consist of an investigation of a specific problem within the field of Geology and /or Mining and may be associated with any of the courses offered in this professional training. The project will be devised so as to require some initiative and originality of thought. While the majority of projects will be individually done, some may involve a group of students, each of which will be concerned with one specific aspect of the whole. In case of group project, the students need the approval of the supervisor and the Head of Department. The basis of the project will normally be experimental investigation with an appropriate literature review and may include design and assembly of apparatus. In some cases the final year project may consist of a theoretical or analytical investigation. These projects may also consist of largely industry-sponsored projects as well as research projects proposed by academics.
Students are of course supervised by the academic supervisor, the industrial mentor (in the case of industry sponsored projects), and supported by resources in the department.
Students are responsible for organization, scheduling, budgeting, implementing, and time management, design outcome including prototypes, and reporting.
Upon completion of the research work students write a thesis and make a verbal presentation of their findings
- 4. Learning and Teaching Strategy
Face to face introduction of module
Consultancy and supervision
- Assessment Strategy
Discussion of project plan including objectives with Supervisor and submission to Supervisor.
2. The Interim Report:
An interim report should contain the following:
A brief description of the background to the project, -an outline of the project aims, risk assessment and the methodology that will be employed to carry out the
research, -literature review, -a Gant chart indicating the major tasks involved and the proposed schedule for their completion, -a summary of progress made to date which may include some results, -the likely content of the final report (e.g. A list of proposed chapter headings). The interim report of approximately 1500 words
3. The Final Report:
The Report should conform to the Project Guidelines.
4. Final Oral Presentation:
Students will be expected to defend their research through an oral presentation which forms an explicit part of the project assessment carried out by the Supervisor and other Assessors (two).